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Category: sewing for home

Making My Own Path

Do you ever feel like you keep learning the same lessons over and over? Each time, every time, you think "duh!" Or you say to yourself, "I've got it now"! You know in your heart of hearts that you will remember this lesson and life will get better, but then, once again you forget. Or you know but you don't know, meaning you fail to extrapolate from one situation to similar ones.

Duh!

No, I did not make any mistakes, I did not make any foolish, rushed, and/or silly errors. In fact studio time was happy time this week.

I pressed the linen for the pillowcases. I cut pillowcases. I only had enough for three, rather than four, so there will be more pillowcase making in the future. Luckily I still have two white linen pillowcases in use. They are over ten years old, and until recently, they were used every night I was home, so I don't expect them to hold up for another ten years. But the problem wasn't really that I miscalculated, it was that I started with erroneous assumptions.

I thought about pillowcases, I really did. I knew I was not going to make a traditional standard-sized pillowcase, as I tend to toss and turn and squish my pillow during the night. I hate it when the pillow starts to come out of the pillowcase. I also hate double casing pillows to avoid that problem.

I thought about shams with buttons in the back. But again, I find buttoning and unbuttoning pillow cases on laundry day to be incredibly annoying. Then I thought about making envelope-style pillowcases, you know the kind where there is an opening and an overlap in the back, and you load the pillow from the middle. But I find those annoying as well.

In the end, I opted for sewing extra-long pillowcases, pillowcases that are closer to the size of king-sized pillow cases, although my pillows are only standard or queen sized. Why? Because I like the way folding the excess fabric inside the pillowcase makes a neat little bundle that retains its shape no matter how much tossing, turning, or pillow punching occurs during the night. Also I do not mind stuffing the extra length down into the pillow case to make that neat package. I am happier stuffing my hands down into the pillowcase to make a neat fold than I am buttoning and unbuttoning, or stuffing a pillow from the middle. Pillows encased in this manner are easy to fluff and straighten each morning when I make the bed. They make me happy and are therefore worth every inch of extra fabric.

Decision made, I proceeded, alternating marking and cutting pillowcases with photographing and cataloging fabric, spacing out my time and balancing standing time with sitting time. I serged the first pillowcase. The only reason I did not finish was that I forgot the white thread was back in the house, where I had been using it to mend a few items. There was still some mending to be done so I decided to finish the pillowcase another day.

In the evening I spent a happy hour hand sewing, mending an edge where some soft cashmere had begun to fray. I was reminded how much I love hand-sewing, and how calming it is to me. I would rather sew a narrow hem by hand than by machine. This surprises me because when I was younger I hated hand sewing and wanted everything to be done fast. Perhaps it is time to let go of that image of myself and accept who I am now and how that affects the way I want to work.

I keep telling myself that I don't want to make things in a hurry, that I don't want to work pressed up to a deadline. And yet I continue to put myself in that position. There is no need. I need little. I am fortunate enough that I could buy what I needed if I chose to do so. There is no reason to make myself rush. I can putter and sew, I can putter while I sew. I can set up my embroidery or needlepoint station in a corner of the studio so that when my back is tired of standing, or I've hit a wall for whatever reason, I can sit and stitch and self-soothe.

Why didn't I think of this before? I suppose I simply wasn't ready. I felt like there was a battle between my need to make things, and my competing need to have less not more. But this tension was based on erroneous assumptions. It is not about making more just to have or make more, but about the process, about the making, about who I am in when I am puttering about in my creative place. I suppose I always struggled with this dichotomy. I always strived to be a person who got things done, and yet deep inside I just want to get lost in the doing.

February 1, 2021
Practical things

Poncho and I spent a couple of hours in the sewing room Sunday afternoon, and it was a good, successful day.

I managed to fold, photograph, and catalog only a few pieces of fabric. More importantly however, I managed to set up a corner with good light where I could photograph said fabric with pretty good, and true-to color results. This is something that had eluded me during the summer, so I am much happier about the process of cataloging now and better photographs will be a boon.

I also finished the last sheet, the fitted sheet I wrote about in my last post. I did not successfully manage to photograph the process. I am not a good enough photographer to show anything useful in terms of white-on-white photography. But I am even happier with this sheet than I was with the first, mostly because I simply did a neater job, with nicely mitered and felled corners seams. My hems and seams were also neater and more even. Admittedly this is simply the benefit of increased practice, but I managed to vary my activity more, balancing sitting and standing, so I suffered less from back pain and the toll that takes on my patience.

Once upon a time I was meticulous about things being neat and beautiful, perhaps obsessively so, ripping and redoing and often tossing unsatisfactory projects. But time continues to remind me of the old adage that "perfect is the enemy of good", and I have been out of practice for far too long. It is enough to have good, functional items, and to see improvement each time I am in the sewing room.

Besides it seems that that perfectionism, the process of not allowing oneself to make mistakes, is really all about self-criticism, and makes it more difficult to actually grow creatively and develop pride in workmanship for its own sake.

I did elasticize the entire sheet this time around. When I went to the store to buy thread I also bought elastic. Running elastic through the entire seam on the bottom of the fitted sheet was a bit time consuming, but it was time spent pleasantly in front of the television. Stretching and sewing the elastic to the sheet would have been, perhaps, more annoying, at least to me. Perhaps there is yet a third option. I would think the easiest would be to thread the elastic simply through channels in the corners, rather than stitching it down as I did on the first sheet. Hopefully it will be a few years before I test that theory.

It will be interesting to note any differences between the two sheets over time. Will elastic and elastic placement affect long-term performance? How will the quality of the fabric affect performance since the sheets are noticeably different? These are exactly the kind of questions my nerdier side enjoys. I cannot replace either piece of fabric, but the knowledge gained will still play a role in my understanding of fabrics overall, and future choices, whenever they may occur.

I do love sleeping on my new linen sheets. I love the crispness, and even the weight of them. Yes, the feel of these sheets is a bit coarser or more rustic than my previous linen sheets, but I find that bothers me less as I get used to them. And there is something incredibly delicious about being ensconced in a bed that feels sensuous to the touch as well as warm (or cool) and comforting.

I still need to make pillowcases. But that will require washing another piece of linen. The pillowcases will be smoother than the sheets simply because the only white linen I have on hand is either a damask or double damask. I need to do some math to check how much yardage I need, and if either will work, I will simply chose the one that feels the most delicious next to my face. Since pillowcases are smaller, I may be able to manage photos.

I finished up my sewing afternoon by making some washcloths on strings, something like the loofa or back scrubbers you can buy various places. Most of the ones I have found have been too fancy, too big, too rough, or they don't hold up to heavy washing. The washcloth portion is only 18" wide on mine, but that is enough since I move them back and forth anyway, and the handles are longer than most of the commercially available versions I have found. In short they work for me.

I keep a supply of basic, inexpensive, white towels in the house in various sizes for cleaning and odd jobs. They are always white so they can be bleached. I cut up one 18" wide towel to make four cloths and rather than cord, which I find problematic in that it seems to mildew faster, I used a white cotton tape I had gotten at JoAnn fabrics during the last sale. I am just guessing that 4 is the right number for use between wash loads. Since I tend to use cloth towels rather than paper towels as much as possible, there tends to be more than one load of towels each week. Anyway, it is easy enough to make more. I think it took less than half an hour to whip up these four, less time than it would take me to drive to Target, which is pretty close, and buy anything.

January 25, 2021
The power of Obligation

The problem with committing to post something to this blog every week is that there must be something to write about. I suppose that was the intention, although perhaps I had not yet fully assimilated the idea. I am certainly stitching every day, although more often than not that stitching has taken the form of knitting, and I do want to work in the studio. I also want to finish unpacking and catalog my stash, both knitting- and sewing-related. It seems therefore that if I expect actual sewing progress each week, I may be over my head.

But I am not going to rename this blog "sitting in the studio dreaming" although some of that did happen this past week. Let us just assume that dreaming, like fondling fabric and shuffling patterns around is a part of that thing called "process". Or at least just hope so.

I did sit on the loveseat lost in thought, staring at fabric while Poncho sniffed and snorted circumnavigating the space and mapping it in his mind. I am not yet convinced that he loves the studio; he might prefer to be in the house. At the same time, although he is not as clingy as he was, he likes to know where I am. Although he doesn't necessarily always curl up next to me, more often than not he is upstairs if I am upstairs, and downstairs if I am downstairs. He gets nervous when he can't find me, and runs around in circles. Hence we are still in learning mode — Poncho is learning the word "studio" and what that means, and I suspect that in time the studio will become as comfortable a space as the rest of the house. Getting him a more comfortable bed (there seems to be one kind he prefers) and a blanket might help, but then so might time.

In the meantime, He thought linen sheeting made a perfect napping spot, while I was laying the fabric out to measure for the second fitted sheet. Since feeling at home in the space is important, some assistance, or hindrance, must be tolerated.

This sheet is being cut from the smaller of the two pieces of linen I purchased. I believe this was the first purchase, as the fabric was nearly sold out when I discovered it. It has a tighter, finer, weave than the linen I used up last week, and a smoother hand with fewer slubs. It will feel silkier against the skin. However, I almost did not have enough fabric. I had enough for the width of the sheet, but was seven inches short in the length (this is after shrinkage). Luckily for me, I had cut an eight inch strip off the the width, which gave me just enough fabric, with a small seam allowance to join the two pieces. I serged the two pieces together as I did not think I had enough fabric (1 inch total, or 1/2 inch on each piece to make a fully enclosed or felled seam. The grainlline runs in different directions, obviously, but since this piece will be at either the top or bottom of the sheet, and at least partially tucked under the mattress, I do not foresee a problem.

All I managed this week was to sit and dream, to catalog a few more pieces of fabric, and to sew one corner on the fitted sheet. I will probably finish it this weekend. I am being much more meticulous. Partly this is because I have time and am not desperate to get this on the bed. But I also like this fabric more than the fabric for the first sheet, and having made one fitted sheet, I am more comfortable refiing the process.

On the first sheet, I simply serged the corner seams. I did finish all the bottom hems and edges, but did not bother with the corners. The seams are sturdy and tight and I am not particularly worried about functionality or wear. The goal was just to sew a sheet, and that goal was accomplished. But somehow, on this sheet, I wanted a more polished finish, so the raw edges have been enclosed and the corner seams finished more nicely. My stitching is not perfectly even. I am not worried about that. It will improve.

My new computer arrived last night, which means I can return to unpacking and cataloging. This will of course take away from actual sewing time, but will make things easier in the long run. I will keep you updated with all of it as I go.

January 22, 2021
New Sheets

At one point this week I was plagued with self-doubt, fretting over whether or not I had committed myself prematurely to a goal I could not maintain. Although I did not state that goal in my last post, my intention is to blog at least once a week. Of course to write a sewing blog I must be sewing, or at least working on things sewing-related. I might include needlepoint and embroidery in that category as I see them as embellishments on fabric, or the creation of fabric. Yes, I know this is a stretch. The goal is primarily one of motivation.

In truth, fretting about what I would write actually got me not only into the sewing room but actually making something. What did I make? Sheets. Yes, the 7-yard project was a set of sheets.

Some time ago Marcy Tilton sold some wide-width Italian linen sheeting dubbed “Pratesi Linen”. It was up for sale twice that I know of, and I bought a piece each time. I love linen sheets and the intention was always to make it up but I didn’t get to it until now. Why now? I was somewhat desperate because my old set of linen sheets was falling apart.

I have enough linen for three sheets that will fit my rather deep queen-sized mattress. Notice that is not enough for two complete sets of sheets. Luckily, although my old fitted sheet has worn out completely, and is in shreds, I still have a useable linen top sheet. Three sheets will do for now.

Apologies for the lack of photos. Large expanses of white on white do not a good photo make, and sheet construction is pretty simple and straightforward. The most difficult part really is wrangling large expanses of fabric, long seams, and, if you are slightly dyslexic, making sure that all your corners face the same way.

The linen itself is nice, heavy, and although not as rough as the naturally imperfect washed linen that is currently fashionable, it is also not as smooth, fine, or as tightly woven as the Sferra Classico sheet set I have been sleeping on for the last 7 years. Because I prefer the smoothness of the Sferra linen, as well as its lighter weight, I decided that I would make two fitted sheets and one top sheet. Eventually, when the Sferra top sheet wears out I will need to make another.

My initial plan was to buy the linen for that last top sheet directly from Sferra, an expensive option, but cheaper than buying the actual sheet from Sferra. However, although Sferra still sold linen sheeting and their classico linen sheets last year at this time, neither is available now. I do not know if this is a pandemic-related shortage, or a permanent discontinuation. Fine wide linen sheeting is also available from Ulster Linen and Ferguson’s Irish Linen. I have samples of both, and although they are more expensive than this linen, they are also smooth, fine, and lovely. Both are considerably cheaper than the cost of sheets made from the same or equivalent linen. To my way of thinking the cost is worth it, but we each have our own priorities in this world. My one set of Sferra sheets was on my bed constantly for nearly seven years. I would wash them, iron them and put them back on the bed every week. As I work it out, the cost of the sheets themselves worked out to about 26 cents a night. It is a price I can live with. My own, me-made sheets, even with the best quality linen, will be both cheaper and even more rewarding.

I managed to make two sheets this week, one simple top sheet and one fitted sheet. I had just enough white thread to finish the first bottom sheet. You will note, if you look carefully at the photo below that I did not bother with white serger thread. Natural is close enough and is not visible in the finished sheet anyway. For hemming however, color matters. I will have to go out and buy thread so that I can finish the second sheet by the end of the week, laundry day, although in a pinch, I could just wash the sheets and put them back on the bed. It will be nice however to have two sets of sheets.

The two batches of linen are not quite the same. The smaller piece, enough for one sheet, is slightly rougher in texture and has a slightly looser weave. It also shrank more in the wash. I made the flat sheet from the “nicer” linen but I used for the looser linen for the first bottom sheet, saving the best for last. I only serged and stitched the corners, not turning them under in a properly enclosed seam, mostly because I wanted to get finished. I may do the second fitted sheet, with the slightly nicer linen, differently. I also only put elastic in the corners, not around the entire sheet. This was primarily a stock issue, and I did not want to run out just to buy elastic (I did not yet know I also needed thread). But I am not convinced that it makes any difference on whether or not the sheet stays tucked. In my experience keeping the sheet tucked depends on having deep enough corners, and enough extra fabric to tuck under the mattress, not the amount of elastic used. This sheet has remained perfectly tightly tucked whereas the more expensive Sferra sheet, although smooth and delicious to sleep on, was not deep enough and always rode up during the night, making morning bed-making more of a chore as I had to go around and retuck the sheet every day.

So far I am happy with my first sheet set. I do not have enough of the Pratesi linen to make matching pillowcases, at least not unless I piece them from the corner squares cut from the fitted sheets. But I have other pieces of linen that would be suitable for pillowcases, including samples of the Ferguson and Ulster linen mentioned above. These, and other ecclesiastical and fine linens in my stash, have a smoother, silkier, hand than the Pratesi linen and will make nicer pillowcases.

Poncho joined me in the sewing room, mostly because he gets antsy when he doesn’t know where I am for long periods of time, and also partially because if I get wrapped up in a project, I am likely to forget to go back to the house to check on him. I like the companionship, but I had not been convinced he liked the studio much, at least not until this past weekend. Perhaps it is simply the addition of a bed to curl up, perhaps also the companionship. He is learning the word “studio” and, more slowly, the path to same. As it is, he tends to be downstairs when I am downstairs, upstairs when I am upstairs, and now in the studio with me. Moisés on the other hand figured out that Poncho was getting to go somewhere he was not allowed (the garage and trips in the car are not an issue) and was desperately crying at the door the first time we went up. M is not allowed for two reasons: First I have developed a mild cat allergy and I don’t need dander in my fabrics and secondly, he has a tendency to pull threads from the ends of fabrics and eat them, which is hazardous to both his health and my state of mind.

January 11, 2021
lap robe/floor mat

I believe that I have mentioned that my simple, "quick" projects rarely turn out to be all that simple, or if they are simple, they do not prove to be quick. It must be something in my basic constitution…

I had an idea that I would make a soft cushy mat for the floor, something like a yoga mat, but not a yoga mat. I needed something long enough for an adult person to lie on but which was also comfy and cushy and snuggly. I needed something that could be rolled or folded for storage and which could go in the washing machine.

Thursday I went to the mall to buy two of those long bath-sheet sized towels, because we didn’t have any towels that large. I bought the softest, cushiest towels I could find.

I didn’t have time to go to the quilt shop before they closed, but I found this lovely Kaffe Fassett cotton in my collection. I had one yard, more than enough for binding the edges of my mat.

Towels and fabric were washed Thursday night, so I could begin Friday evening. I really thought I could do this in an evening. After all the steps were so simple…

First make bias binding
Press under hem allowance one side of binding.

At this point I realized that I I would not be able to sew the binding onto the "front" side of the quilt/mat with all the layers intact because it would be too thick to easily manipulate through my machine, and there would be far too great a risk that I would not be able to keep things straight and all the layers properly aligned. So I decided to attach the binding to only one towel, mitering the corners as I went, realizing that I would have to anchor the layers together by hand when I wrapped the binding and finished the other edge.

Next I sandwiched all my layers together, first aligning two layers of thin batting with the bottom towel and using binder clips to hold everything together. Then I positioned the top towel over the batting, and carefully positioned it, wrapping the binding around the edge and repositioning the clips to hold all the layers. This actually worked quite well and the binding was quite easy to manipulate into position.

This is probably obvious to people who regularly quilt things, but it took me a few minutes to figure out the binder clip technique. I started with pins, but quickly realized that my longest pins were not going to work with the thickness of the layers. I think it was also much easier to keep the edges of all the layers lined up exactly using the clips, whereas the layers would be more likely to shift with pins (unless I used thousands of them). Luckily I have a good sized box of binder clips salvaged from the office when we closed it last spring.

This morning I settled down with a pot of coffee and started to sew, anchoring the binding to the quilt and stitching through the layers to hold everything in place. I think the final result is quite nice. It makes a nice soft mat to lie on, it can be rolled into a comfy bolster…

And it also makes a nice warm, snuggly lap robe or blanket. I know because after I finished sewing, I sat back in my chair with it spread over my lap and I took a little nap.

December 8, 2007